Large-scale transfer and characterization of macroscopic periodically nano-rippled graphene

TL;DR

This study demonstrates the large-scale synthesis, transfer, and characterization of macroscopic nano-rippled graphene with well-defined uniaxial strain, enabling potential applications in various advanced electronic and sensing devices.

Contribution

It introduces a fast transfer method for large-area nano-rippled graphene on dielectric supports, maintaining the rippled structure and enabling control over ripple geometry.

Findings

Successfully synthesized millimeter-sized nano-rippled graphene

Confirmed periodic ripples via atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy

Achieved control over ripple geometry by adjusting synthesis parameters

Abstract

Nano-rippled graphene, a structurally modified graphene, presents a novel material with a large range of possible applications including sensors, electrodes, coatings, optoelectronics, spintronics and straintronics. In this work we have synthesized macroscopic single layer graphene with well-defined uniaxial periodic modulation on a stepped Ir(332) substrate and transferred it to a dielectric support. The applied fast transfer process does not damage the Ir crystal which can be repeatedly used for graphene synthesis. Upon transfer, a millimeter sized graphene flake with a uniform periodic nano-ripple structure is obtained, which exhibits a macroscopically measurable uniaxial strain. The periodic one dimensional arrangement of graphene ripples was confirmed by atomic force microscopy and polarized Raman measurements. An important feature of this system is that the graphene lattice is rotated in several different, well-defined orientations with respect to the direction of the ripple induced uniaxial strain. Moreover, geometry of the ripples can be modified by changing the graphene synthesis parameters.